Bee simulating toy



Jan. 26, 1960 g A. CARTER BEE SIMULATING TOY Filed Jan. 15, 1958 INVENT OR Alvie Carter United States atet BEE SIMULATING TOY Alvie Carter, Salt Lake City, Utah Application January 13, 1958, Serial No. 708,561

1 Claim. (Cl. 46-232) This invention relates to amusement devices and more particularly to a simulated bee and flower pot.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an amusement device for children and adults alike which includes a simulated bee and flower pot that may also be used for interior decoration purposes.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the above type which is battery operated and which can be selectively controlled to simulate the movements of a bee between vertical positions relative to a simulated flower pot.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an amusement device bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and eflicient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which the figure is a front elevational view, partly in perspective and partly broken away, showing the construction of an amusement device made in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, an amusement device made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a simulated flower pot 12 having a removable cover 14 defining an inside compartment therewith. A hollow section of tubing 15 secured at its lower end to the cover 14 and extends upwardly so as to simulate the stern of a plant. This tubing is also provided with outwardly extending leaves or flowers 16 so as to present a realistic appearance. A rod 20 is supported within the tubing 15 for reciprocating longitudinal movement and rotative movement therein, one end of which supports a simulated bee 17, the opposite end of which is secured to the upper end of a threaded shaft 19. This threaded shaft is threadingly recieved within a nut 18 carried by the lower end tubing 15.

A motor 22 is supported within the flower pot 12 for reciprocating vertical movement in a manner hereinafter described. The shaft 21 of the motor 22 is secured to the lower end of the threaded shaft 19. An eccentric circular sleeve 24 is secured to the motor housing and slidably receives the vertical tubular column 25 which is operative to guide the motor between upper and lower limits.

A pair of leads 2''! electrically connect the motor 22 to a battery operated control unit 28 having forward and 2,922,253 Patented Jan. 26, 1960 to effect rotation of the threaded shaft 19 which is thus threaded upwardly through the nut 18 of the tubing 15. During this movement, the sleeve 24 guides the motor 22 vertically upwardly along the column 25, and the rod 20 is also rotated by the rotation of the threaded shaft 19;. Thus, the bee 17 will be continuously rotated during energization of the motor 22 and it will be moved between a lowermost position adjacent to the leaves or flowers 16 and an uppermost position spaced therefrom. After the unit has reached its uppermost limit, the other one of the buttons 29, 30 may be depressed, whereupon the bee will reverse the direction of rotation and will descend as the shaft 19 and motor 22 also descend within the flower pot. During movement of the bee in either direction, the buzzer 34 is also energized by the dry cell 33, whereby a very pleasing and amusing effect is obtained.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

An amusement device comprising a simulated flower pot having bottom and side walls, a removable cover extending from the side wall at the top of the pot, a hollow tube secured at its lower end to the cover and extending upwardly and simulating the stem of a plant and having leaf portions extending outwardly therefrom, a rod extending upwardly through the hollow tube and out of the upper end thereof, a simulated bee secured to the upper outer end of said rod, a nut fixed in the lower end of said hollow tube, a threaded shaft operable in said nut and adapted to be elevated into said tube, said rod fixed to and extending from said threaded shaft, a reversible electric motor for turning said shaft secured to the lower end thereof and adapted to be elevated and lowered therewith as the shaft is worked through the nut by the motor, guide means extending upwardly from the bottom wall of the pot for slidably supporting the electric motor and to hold the motor against turning, an electric buzzer lying within the flower pot for simulating the sound of a bee, and electric control circuit means including a power source, the electric buzzer and a reversing switch for controlling the operation of the electric motor and buzzer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 549,039 Wenger Oct. 29, 1895 672,797 McCormack Apr. 23, 1901 769,935 Brom Sept. 13, 1904 972,147 Averill Oct. 11, 1910 2,694,271 Smith Nov. 16, 1954 

